That should be the question posed to our legislators following the recent passage of a bill in the Senate, which would extend term limits for barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
Last Tuesday, January 14, Senate Bill No. 2816 was approved by the Senate on third and final reading, with 22 senators voting in favor, no abstention and negative votes.
Under the bill, terms of offices for barangay officials and members of the SK will be extended from the current three years to up to four years.
However, the current three-consecutive-term limits for barangay officials and SK members are retained.
"With the longer fixed term, the barangay officials and members of the SK will deepen their understanding of both national and local issues, as well as implement their own medium- and long-term initiative at the barangay level," Senator Imee Marcos explained during her sponsorship speech.
Elections also postponed
The bill also seeks to move the date of the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) from 2025, as currently scheduled, to October 2027 and then every four years thereafter.
The Supreme Court had earlier set the date of the next BSKE to 2025 after it ruled that Republic Act No. 11935, which postponed the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to 2023, was unconstitutional.
Should the bill be passed into law, all incumbent barangay officials and members of the SK shall remain in office unless sooner removed or suspended for cause until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.
Incumbent elective barangay officials serving their third consecutive term in the same position shall not be eligible to run for the same position in the October 2027 Barangay and SK elections.
SC Decision
To recall, the Supreme Court in its decision promulgated in June 2023 ruled that Republic Act No. 11935 “unconstitutionally exceeds the bounds of the Congress’ power to legislate.
The high court added that the postponement of the barangay and SK polls “unconstitutionally transgresses the constitutional prohibition against any transfer of appropriations, and it unconstitutionally and arbitrarily overreaches the exercise of the rights of suffrage, liberty and expression.”
However, the SC decided to allow the 2023 BSKE, which had been scheduled for October 2023, to proceed due to time constraints.
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